Camping For Boys eBook

Care of hands and nails is much neglected in camp,
Nails should be properly trimmed and the “mourning”
removed from underneath the nails. The habit
of biting the finger nails is dangerous. Finger
nails should be cut once a week with sharp scissors
or “clip.” If the nails be neglected
and a scratch received from the infected fingers the
system may be inoculated with disease. The cleansing
of the hands after using the lavatory needs special
emphasis, for in no place do more germs collect and
spread. Boys should not be permitted to use each
other’s towels, combs, brushes, or soap.
A towel may carry germs from one boy to another.

The Eyes

Never strain the eyes. When reading, always let
the light come over the shoulder and upon the page,
the eyes being in the shadow. Do not read with
the sunlight streaming across the page. When writing
have the light come from the left side. Do not
rub the eyes with the hands. Headaches and nervousness
are due largely to defective vision. “Work,
play, rest and sleep, muscular exercise, wise feeding,
and regular removal of the waste—­these
and all other hygienic habits help to keep the eyes
sound and strong.”—­Sedgewick.

The Ear

It is dangerous to put a pointed pencil or anything
sharpened into the ear. “Boxing”
the ear, shouting in the ear, exploding a paper bag,
may split the drum and cause deafness. The best
way to remove excess wax from the ear is to use a
soft, damp cloth over the end of the finger. Ear-wax
is a protection against insects getting in from the
outside.

The Nose

Keep the nose free from obstructions, and avoid the
use of dirty handkerchiefs. Always breathe through
the nose and not through the mouth. Boys who
observe this rule will not get thirsty while on a hike
or get out of breath so easily. They don’t
breathe in all sorts of microbes or seeds of disease,
and they don’t snore at night.

The Hair

In washing the hair avoid using soap more than once
a week, as it removes the natural oil of the hair.
Frequent combing and brushing adds to the lustre,
and the head gets a beneficial form of massage.
Wear no hat at camp, except to protect from sun rays
or rain.

The Feet

Footwear is a matter of importance. Shoes should
never be worn too tight. They not only hinder
free movements, but also hinder the blood circulation,
and cause coldness and numbness of the extremities.
Sore feet, because of ill-fitting shoes, are a detriment
to happy camp life. Have good, well-fitting,
roomy shoes, and fairly stout ones. Keep the feet
dry. If they are allowed to get wet, the skin
is softened and very soon gets blistered and rubbed
raw.

[Illustration: Figure 1. Figure 2.]

Figure 1 shows a perfectly shaped foot. This
is the natural shape, and if the boy is allowed to
go barefooted or wear sandals, his foot will assume
this shape. Figure 2 shows the distorted shape
brought about by cramped shoes. The best thing
to wear is thick moccasins of moose hide.